Loom harness



Dec. 11, 1956 F. H. KAUFMANN 2,773,516

LOOM HARNESS Filed Nov. 1, 1951 FlG.l

INVENTOR. FRANK H. KAUFMANN ATTORNEY.

United States Patent LOOM HARNESS Frank .H. Kaufmann, Huntingdon Valley, Pa., assignor to Steel Heddle Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 1, 1951, Serial No. 254,230

6 Claims. (Cl. 139-91) This invention relates to loom harness and it relates more particularly to improved means for securing the screw hooks and screw eyes, as well as other similar parts, used in loom harness frames in such manner as to prevent the same from turning improperly to incorrect positions, and thus'causiug smashes or other damage to the loom parts, as well as to the fabric being woven.

The present invention is applicable not only to the screw hooks and screw eyes such as are used in connecting the jack-cords and actuating straps to the frames, but .also in some instances may be employed for the prevention of the improper turning of the so-called hooks which are used in loom harness frames for supporting the heddle rods, and the slide hook rods when used, intermediate the ends thereof.

However, such screw hooks and screw eyes, as well as other devices used in loom harness to which the invention is applicable, may be embraced in the claims under the generic term connector devices, and such term should be understood to include not only the screw hooks and screw eyes which are used for attaching the jack-cords and actuating straps to the frames, but also to the other devices which are used for supporting the heddle rods and slide hook rods intermediate the ends thereof.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means for securing the screw hooks and screw eyes, and other similar parts, used in loom harness frames, which will effectively prevent said devices from turning, whereby portions of the same, or the parts coacting therewith, would project beyond the planes of the sides of the top and bottom rails or shafts of the frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the character aforesaid which will be positive and certain in its action.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the character aforesaid which will be relatively inexpensive, not only in the cost of the device itself, but also in the mounting thereof in the harness frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide means of the character aforesaid which will .permit the ready removal and replacement of worn or damaged connectors without requiring the dismantling of the frame or the removal of the frame from the loom and also without requiring special tools, equipment or skill.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof in which:

Figure l is a front elevation of a loom harness frame having devices mounted therein embodying the main features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, enlarged, of a portion of the rail of a loom harness frame having a screw hook and locking device mounted thereon embodying the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation, and partly in ice longitudinal section, of the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section thereof taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but illustrating a form or embodiment of the invention in which screw eyes may be used in lieu of the hooks shown in the other figures of the drawing.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawing herein are illustrative merely, and

that various modifications and changes may be made in the device shown without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the form of invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing, the loom harness frame therein shown is of a conventional type comprising top and bottom rails or shafts 10 preferably made of wood, the ends of which are connected by side struts 11 which may be of any preferred type.

Each of the top and bottom rails is provided at its outer edge with two or more connector devices which as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing may comprise hook members 12 each formed from a round rod or heavy Wire and shaped as hereinafter more fully set forth.

A part of the shank portion 13 of the hook member 12 is threaded as at 14 for mounting the same in the rail or shaft 10.. It should, of course, be understood that usually a hole is preliminarily drilled in the rail 10 at the place where the hook member 12 is to be located. When the rail or shaft 10 is made of wood, the threads 14 on the shank portion 13 of the hook member 12 are of the wood screw type.

The hook portion of the hook member 12 is of the usual shape or configuration for the purpose of attaching thereto one of the jack-cords or actuating straps used for raising and lowering the harness frames of the looms to effect the shedding of the warp.

The shank portion 13 of the hook member 12 between the threaded portion 14 and the unthreaded portion 15 thereof is shaped to provide a flattened portion 16 formed .by'squeezing the metal, of which the hook member 12 is formed, entirely across on both sides as illustrated more particularly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing.

Mounted on the marginal edge of the rail or shaft is a locking device which, as shown in the drawing, preferably comprises a plate member 20 secured to the rail or shaft 10 by means of a screw 21 which passes through an aperture 22 in the plate member 20 and extends into the rail or shaft 10. The aperture 22 is preferably located near one end of the plate member 20, and the other end of said plate member is provided with a slot 23 of a width corresponding to the thickness of the flattened portion 16 of the hook member 12, thereby serving, when such slot 23 is in engagement with the v flattened portion 16 of the hook member 12, to prevent said hook member from rotating while in use, so that there will be a positive assurance that no parts of said hook member will project beyond the planes of the side faces of the rail or shaft 10, as the frames in the loom are raised and lowered to form the shed.

It will be noted that the mounting of the device on the harness frame rails is exceedingly simple, it being only necessary to first mount the hook member 12 in the rail or shaft 10 by screwing the same therein until the flattened portion 16 thereof is located at the marginal edge of the rail. The slot 23 at the end of the plate member 20 may then be caused to engage the flattened portion 16 of the hook member 12 by sliding the same lengthwise on the marginal edge of the rail. When the slotted portion of the plate member 20 engages the flattened portion 16 of the hook member, the screw member 21 may then be passed through the aperture 22 and threaded into the rail to hold the plate member in the locking position.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing there is shown a connector 30 of the screw eye type which, with the exception of the formation of the eye 35 instead of the book shown in the other views, is substantially similar thereto, having a threaded shank portion 14 and a flattened portion 16 for engagement by the slot 23 at the end of the plate member 20. In this instance, while the eye portion 35 of the screw eye 30 is of less diameter than the width of the harness frame rail, the strap hook (not shown) which would be used to engage the same would be of greater width, and in this instance the locking device functions to prevent the screw eye from turning or being turned so that the parts engaging the screw eye will not project beyond the planes of the side faces of the rail in which the screw eye is mounted.

It will be noted that there is thus provided an exceedingly simple yet inexpensive device which will effectively serve to prevent damage to adjacent frames by reason of the positioning or turning of the connector members out of their proper normal positions. The slot at the end of the plate member being open at its end will greatly facilitate the placing of the plate member in the locking position, or the removal therefrom when desired.

I claim:

1. In a loom harness frame the means for securing connector devices to a rail of the harness frame which comprises the provision on each of said devices of a shank having a threaded portion positioned within the rail, a portion located adjacent the edge of the rail of transversely flattened cross-section thereby to provide a portion of less thickness than the other portions of the connector device, and a plate member of a width no greater than the thickness of the rail mounted on the edge of the rail and having one end portion provided with an open end slot engaging the flattened portion of the connector device.

2. In a loom harness frame the means for securing connector devices to a rail of the harness frame which comprises the provision in each of said devices of a shank having a threaded portion positioned within the rail, a portion located adjacent the edge of the rail of transversely flattened cross-section thereby to provide a portion of less thickness than the other port-ions of the connector device, a plate member of a width no greater than the thickness of the rail having one end portion provided with an open end slot engaging the flattened portion of the connector device, and means engaging the other end portion of said plate member for securing the same in operative position on the edge of the rail.

3. In a loom harness frame the means for securing connector devices to a rail of the harness frame which comprises the provision in each of said devices of a shank having a threaded portion positioned within the rail, a portion located adjacent the edge of the rail of transversely flattened cross-section thereby to provide a portion of less thickness than the other portions of the connector device, a plate member of a width no greater than the thickness of the rail having one end portion provided with an open end slot engaging the flattened portion of the connector device, and a screw mounted in the rail and passing through an aperture in the other end of the plate member to secure said plate member in operative position on the edge of the rail.

4. In a loom harness frame the means for securing connector devices to a rail of the harness frame which comprises the provision on each of said devices of a shank having a threaded portion positioned within the rail, a portion located adjacent the edge of the rail of transversely flattened cross section extending entirely across the shank thereby to provide a portion of less thickness than the other portions of the connector device, and a plate member of a width no greater than the thickness of the rail mounted on the edge of the rail and having one end portion provided with an open end slot engaging the flattened portion of the connector device.

5. In a loom harness frame the means for securing connector devices to a rail of the harness frame which comprises the provision on each of said devices of a shank having a threaded portion positioned within the rail, a portion located adjacent the edge of the rail of transversely flattened cross-section extending, entirely across the shank thereby to provide a portion of less thickness than the other portions of the connector device, a plate member of a width no greater than the thickness of the rail having one end portion provided with an open end slot engaging the flattened portion of the connector device, and means for securing said plate member in operative position on the edge of the rail.

6. In a loom harness frame the means for securing connector devices to a rail of the harness frame which comprises the provision on each of said devices of a shank having a threaded portion positioned within the rail, a portion located adjacent the edge of the rail of transversely flattened cross-section extending entirely across the shank thereby to provide a portion of less thickness than the other portions of the connector device, and a plate member of a width no greater than the thickness of the rail having one end portion provided with an open end slot engaging the flattened portion of the connector device, and a screw mounted in the rail and passing through an aperture in the other end of the plate member to secure said plate member in operative position on the edge of the rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 248,393 Berry Oct. 18, 1881 2,002,548 Ragan May 28, 1935 2,019,321 Kaufmann Nov. 5, 1935 2,140,061 Spencer et al Dec. 13, 1938 2,601,872 Kaufmann July 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 417,004 Great Britain Sept. 26, 1934 

